“Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean.” ― Maya Angelou

Detroit: Become Human

Markus Part 2 – A New Voice

With no one left and nowhere to go, Markus searches for Jericho, a potential safe haven for androids. With only a cryptic clue from a dying stranger, he sets off on a scavenger hunt across the city looking for clues hidden in plain sight. Scattered across the city, symbols painted among the graffiti mark the trail.

The secret trail leads Markus to an abandoned and rusted out tanker ship named Jericho. From the rooftops nearby, he is able to climb across the arm of an industrial crane overlooking the Jericho. At the end of the crane he must make a leap of faith into the ship’s cargo hold.

Markus wanders through the dark and seemingly deserted ship until he spots someone running in the distance. Following that person, he finds himself in a large inner chamber on a series of elevated catwalks. One of the catwalks gives way underneath him and he tumbles into the darkness.

As he picks himself off the ground, he notices he is no longer alone. A solemn group of androids surrounds him and they welcome him to Jericho. They tell him androids are free in Jericho but he disagrees. Markus tells them they aren’t free, they are just waiting to die hidden away and afraid. Here he meets Josh, Simon and North, three androids that seem to represent some sort of leadership group. They tell him to speak to Lucy, a wise and prophetic android.

Lucy tells Markus that his choices are going to influence the destiny of their people. She helps mend his wounds and gives him some blue blood, Thirium, to drink. Thirium is the androids lifeblood and without it, they will surely die, many are already critically low and beginning to shut down.

Markus argues that waiting around to die is insanity and they must fight for survival. He convinces the androids of Jericho to raid a nearby Cyberlife warehouse to forage supplies, bio components, and blue blood. Josh, Simon and North agree to go with him.

Security is tight but they manage to sneak past and arrive at a loading dock containing enough supplies to rescue the sick and dying in Jericho. A close call sees Markus grab a security android and silence him. As he touches the android, it seems to awaken and asks to join them. Three other androids in storage are also awoken by his touch.

With a newfound purpose, Markus leads his new friends to Stratford Tower, an uptown high rise and home to Channel 16 news. Disguised as a human, Markus is able to bypass the security at the front desk and takes the elevator up to the 47th floor.

On the 47th floor Markus finds a maintenance workers uniform and opens the fire exit door to allow North onto the floor. Together they distract a couple of security guards and infiltrate the server room.

From the server room, Markus uses a laser cutter to make a hole in the exterior window. He and North climb out onto a window-washing platform and begin to scale the side of the building. When they reach the top floor, they cut through the window and enter into a vacant service area. From here, they activate the service lift to bring Josh and Simon up to join them.

They are now just outside of Channel 16’s broadcast room but there are two security officers in their way. Josh says they can’t take any human lives but North says the cause is more important than the lives of two guards. Ultimately, the decision rests with Markus and he subdues the security guards without killing them.

They burst into the broadcast room, guns drawn, and order everyone to get down on the ground. One of the employees makes a break for it. North yells at Markus to shoot him before he can call for help but Markus refuses to kill him. With time rapidly fading away, Markus quickly broadcasts a live manifesto. He demands peace and justice for all androids. He tells mankind, “You created us, now it’s time for you to set us free.”

It’s not long before a SWAT Team arrives and breaches the broadcast room. Markus and the others flee to the roof but Simon is hit in the crossfire. When they reach the roof, they realize Simon won’t be able to continue. North suggests killing him so the authorities won’t be able to probe his memories and find Jericho. Markus refuses to do that and gives Simon a chance to survive.

Simon finds a place to hide while the others don their parachutes. As the SWAT team bursts through the roof access door, the androids base jump from the top of the Stratford Tower. Before they even reach the ground Markus and the others are infamous. The broadcast of their manifesto and the footage of their daring escape have gone viral. After today, nothing will ever be the same again.

To be continued...

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